Social Media Lessons For Small Businesses.

With the World Cup done and dusted, records broken, heroes and villains forever etched in viewer’s minds, the world is shifting it’s focus away from Brazil.

But, as a small business, you should focus on improving your social media marketing. After all, industry experts say this World Cup was the biggest social media event in the history of the internet. I tend to agree, just look at these stats from the last 3 weeks:

350,000 tweets about the World Cup every day.

The match between Brazil vs. Germany was the most tweeted sporting event in history, with 26.5 million tweets over the two-hour match.

618,725 tweets per minute during the final match between Germany and Argentina.

It wasn’t only Twitter that saw all the action; 88 million people generated 280 million interactions – posts, likes, shares – about the final match on Facebook.

What does this massive social media buzz mean for your business?

First, it validates the fact that social media is the ideal platform for driving engagement, and is here to stay. Sure you can have a blog and have an email list, but neglecting social media is a huge mistake. Just look at this demographic data:

72% of 30-49 year olds are active on social media.

60% of 50-60 year olds are active on social media.

43% of people 65 and older are active on social media.

Social media can work for any business, regardless if you an OEM aircraft parts manufacturer or a reseller of loom bands, you just have to find the right platform where your audience hangs out.
The spectacle that was World Cup 2014 shows that there are millions of people to tap in to. The following are our strategies for developing an engaged following on social media, no matter your business:-

Have a Plan.

Are you a B2B or B2C business? Depending on where your target audience spends time, you may have to look for them on niche social platforms. First, you have to clearly define the purpose of your campaign. Is it to create more awareness for your brand? Attract more followers? More sales? More interaction? Identify these goals and tailor your plan to reach those goals.

Be Patient.

No need to get anxious, when the first day you open a Twitter account, the fans don’t come flooding in. Merely opening an account doesn’t constitute being social. Post one thing, everyday. Be consistent; the compound effect of your efforts across different platforms, will pay you great dividends over time. Social media isn’t a quick fix, prepare yourself for the long game.

Stick With it.

Give your chosen plan time to mature and yield returns. Stick with your plan and check your progress over time & compare it with where you want to be. Track the plan to know what works and what doesn’t. Not tracking your campaigns can be the worst marketing mistake your business can make.

Prioritise tasks.

Manage your time, by focusing on the tasks that are worth your time. Identify the tasks that give you the best bang for your buck, and get those done. Tasks that you don’t enjoy doing or have a steep learning curve should be outsourced.

Pay your Way.

In 2014, the free and freemium model is used less and less as they deliver less ROI. To see excellent results from your marketing efforts, be ready to pay your way through. Running Facebook ads? Be willing to experiment and test different campaigns. It allows you gain traction and build an engaged audience quicker. Be willing to outsource tasks that require too much effort.

With these strategies dialled in, avoid these common problems that small businesses make:

Not using the right channels.

Ignoring customer complaints and not listening to your followers.

Failing to inspire loyalty and create brand advocates.

Not creating content regularly. Remedy this by using curation, original content, company features etc.

Social media is a treasure trove that is waiting to be plundered. Investing time (and some money) in social media allows you take advantage of its reach and you can reach your goals. Search and More Limited help businesses like yours create and design marketing programs that generate sales, followers and sign ups. Call them today.